The Historical Association organised a great day for members away from Muscat including Al Hazm Fort Oman.
Our first stop was at Al Hazm Fort that, though still closed, had agreed to open to allow us in for a visit. Inside work is going on to restore the fort and incorporate an artillery display in the round towers.
Taking a long swing past Rustaq we arrived in Bat the ancient site associated with the copper trade in Oman up to 5000 years ago. We were fortunate to see the current excavations and development at this UNESCO site. While there are other sites such as this in Oman, Bat was perhaps one of the earliest to be recognised by western academics when a Danish team excavated it. One of the standout building was one of the ‘beehive’ tombs which used to be faced in white ‘sugar cone’ shaped limestone blocks. These blocks of very well finished stone apparently had been taken away to an army camp and now, having been returned, were being reused on the site.
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